1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the repositioning of panels of large surface area and of extreme size. In this document, “extreme size” is intended to be understood to mean dimensions of greater than 40 meters in length and greater than 6 meters in width. Said panels are preferably glass panels.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Glass panels of large surface area are produced in the form of float glass by continuously pouring molten glass onto a tin bath which is heated in an elongate tub, and a resulting glass ribbon being produced thereby. This glass ribbon has one side which lays on the tin bath, the so-called bath side. The other side of the glass ribbon, which side was cooled in the air, is designated the so-called air side. The bath side and the air side have different properties. Since the air side has fewer uneven areas for example, it is more suited to being coated. The float glass is then finished by making longitudinal cuts and cross-cuts in the glass ribbon which is produced in the float glass production process at a defined feed rate. Here, the longitudinal cuts are made by longitudinal cutting wheels which are installed in stationary fashion in an appropriate position above the glass ribbon, and the cross-cuts are made with the aid of cutting bridges and cross-cutting wheels which move transversely over the glass ribbon on said cutting bridges. Glass panels of considerable size can be produced in this way. A size of 6 meters by 3.21 meters is designated a so-called ribbon size or large format here. A panel size of 3.21 meters by 2 meters (up to 2.5 meters) is designated a so-called split ribbon size or medium format.
In order to transport glass panels of such a size from one site to another without said glass panels breaking, holding mechanisms, usually in the form of a sturdy frame, are moved toward the relevant glass panel for this purpose, connected thereto by means of suction cups, and then the holding mechanism to which the glass panel is attached by suction is conveyed further.
Prior art document DE 197 12 368 A1 discloses a method for moving objects from a first location to a second location using a holding mechanism which binds the object to it during the movement process, the objective intended to be achieved by said method being that of developing said method in such a way that objects can be securely moved under all circumstances in a simple manner. The objects to be moved are glass panes in this case.
Said objective is achieved, according to the specifications in the characterizing part of claim 1, in that the lifting mechanism is moved toward the object to be moved to the first or the second location taking into account the actual position and/or orientation thereof, wherein the holding mechanism is oriented, as required, by utilizing an ability of said holding mechanism to rotate freely and/or pivot freely about one or more axes.
Apparatus, as set forth in the claims, explains in more detail that the object to be moved is a glass pane, that the first location is an internal loader rack, and that the second location is a conveyor belt and the holding mechanism is a suction frame.
DE 101 48 038 A1 describes a device for transferring panels from a panel conveyor to a stacking framework or the like, having a robot with a robot arm which has, at its free end, a suction frame or the like for receiving a panel from the panel conveyor, and which is provided with a number of degrees of freedom that is adequate for its movement function.
The objective of developing a device of this kind is to form a device for transferring panels from a panel conveyor to a stacking framework such that, in the case of a glass panel, the air side of the glass is adversely affected as little as possible.
Said objective is achieved in that the panel conveyor is provided with a cutout into which the robot arm is able to enter, and with cutouts which also allow the suction frame or the like to enter. Furthermore, the suction frame or the like is intended to be arranged at the free end of the robot arm such that it can be pivoted into an upwardly pointing position in order to take hold of a panel on its side which faces the panel conveyor from the position entering the cutouts in the panel conveyor.
The stacking framework used here is fastened to the floor such that it cannot move, and consequently it can be loaded only from that side which faces the robot arm. In addition, the stacking framework, each time it is loaded with a further glass panel, has to be moved away from the robot arm by the small distance of the thickness of a glass panel since the distance of the robot arm has a fixed value. To this end, so-called carriages are necessary in practice in the case of the current prior art, said carriages moving the stacking framework away from the robot arm by the distance of one glass panel thickness in each case prior to said stacking framework being loaded with a new glass panel, in order to make space for a further glass panel. Furthermore, a turntable is required for the purpose of loading the stacking framework from the other side. In order to load the stacking framework with large and heavy glass panels, the carriages required and the turntable necessary to bear the resulting load are of complicated construction and are very expensive to produce.
WO 2009/094995 A1 by the same applicant describes a portal repositioning device for glass panels of large surface area.
The prior art has further disclosed, without documentary evidence being provided, that glass panels of up to 16 meters in length and 4 meters in width have been handled with components of very extreme dimensions. However, the limits of normal technology are reached at these dimensions.